1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to mechanical toothbrushes and more particulary to a mechanical toothbrush which includes a pair of proximately located, oval shaped belt brushes.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses a wide variety of mechanically actuated toothbrushes. Many of these prior art toothbrushes include paired, circular brushes which are symmetrically rotated about parallel oriented drive shafts.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,799,878 (Brousch) discloses a manually actuated mechanical toothbrush which includes a pair of brush wheels which are maintained in a spaced apart relationship by a pair of parallel oriented drive shafts. The paired drive shafts are alternately rotated in unison in first and second directions when the user compresses and then releases the telescoping drive unit positioned outside the user's mouth. U.S. Pat. No. 2,682,066 (Keeley) discloses a mechanical toothbrush which includes a spring motor which drives two parallel oriented, spaced apart drive shaft. Each drive shaft is coupled to a toothbrush head. The paired brush heads are rotated in unison alternately up and down to clean the front and rear tooth surfaces.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,655,675 (Grover) discloses a powerdriven toothbrush having parallel oriented drive shafts which simultaneously rotate cylindrical brush units to clean the tooth and gum surfaces. A lip guard is provided around the outer section of each brush unit to protect the user's mouth. U.S. Pat. No. 2,655,674 (Grover) discloses a mechanical toothbrush having parallel oriented, spaced apart brush rollers. The single drive shaft includes a pair of worm gears which rotate a pair of circular brush units opposing directions.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,732,589 (Burki) discloses a mechanical toothbrush which includes a brush head which is continuously rotated in a single direction. The brush unit simultaneously contacts and brushes the upper and lower teeth and includes parallel oriented, opposing brush discs which are maintained in a spaced apart relationship by a shaft.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,225,955 (Hickman) discloses a rotary toothbrush which is manually rolled along the user's gum line. This toothbrush includes a wishbone shaped brush support. A shaft passes through a pair of disc-shaped brushes and is supported by the arms of the wishbone brush support.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,282,700 (Bobbroff) discloses a mechanical toothbrush having a motor driven eccentric weight which vibrates the toothbrush brush head. U.S. Pat. No. 2,932,835 (Everett) discloses a manually actuated toothbrush having three independently rotatable, cylindrically configured brush units.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,798,237 (Grover) discloses a mechanical toothbrush having a rotatable, semi-circular brush unit and a semi-circular lip guard. U.S. Pat. No. 2,184,850 (Schloss) discloses a mechanical toothbrush having a rotary shaft which causes the toothbrush bristles to vibrate. An alternative embodiment rotates the brush section of the toothbrush.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,264 (Brockman) discloses a manually operated tooth-brush which includes opposed, conical rubber rollers with corrugated side walls. Toothpaste in injected from the handle mounted toothpaste supply tube through passageways in the rollers into the mouth of the user.